Outstanding 23-year-old Sammie Maxwell has fought her way to the silver medal in the elite women’s cross-country race at the UCI MTB World Championships in Switzerland today.
In only her second time in elite world championship company, Maxwell raced with equal measures of flair and fortitude to climb up to second, finishing 18 seconds behind Sweden’s Jenny Rissveds on the demanding course in Crans Montana.
Maxwell was the under-23 world champion in 2023 and 11th in her elite debut last year, but this year has stamped her mark with a maturity beyond her years both in the world series, which she leads, and today in the elite world championship final.
She settled back early but joined the leaders mid-race, taking advantage of her climbing prowess. Maxwell joined with early leader Rissveds and Switzerland’s Alessandra Keller as the trio pushed clear in the front, dropping the 2021 world champion, Evie Richards (GBR).
After Keller and Maxwell hauled in the Swedish star, Rissveds then pushed clear again while Maxwell jumped into second after Keller fell.
While Rissveds was able to hold off the change by the kiwi in the final lap, so to Maxwell powered away in second with Keller completing the podium.
It was another outstanding performance from one of the youngest riders in the elite field, who again showed off her climbing skills and courage.
Tomorrow Sam Gaze and Anton Cooper complete the three weeks of world championship mountain bike action in the elite men’s race.
However there is little downtime for Maxwell, who will target another race next weekend in nearby Lenzerheide in the UCI MTB World Series. The New Zealander is the current leader in the world series, with the final European race next weekend before the final two rounds in USA and Canada.
Results:
Elite women: Jenny Rissveds (SWE) 1:21.35, 1; Samara Maxwell (NZL) at 18s, 2; Alessandra Keller (SUI) at 56s, 3.
Under-23 men: Finn Treudler (SUI) 1:20.25, 1; Cole Punchard (CAN) at 54s, 2; Gustav Pederson (NOR) at 2:14, 3. Also NZers: Ethan Rose at 1lap, Coen Nicol at 3laps, 70.
